WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has signed a bill that temporarily opens the federal government for three weeks, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history at 35 days.
The White House says Trump signed the measure after the Senate and House each passed it Friday.
Trump backed down from his demand that Congress provide more border wall money before federal agencies get back to work. But he warns that the government could shut down again “if we don’t get a fair deal from Congress.”
He is also holding out the possibility of taking executive action.
The agreement to open the government came as about 800,000 federal employees missed their second consecutive paycheck.
As part of the deal, a bipartisan committee of House and Senate lawmakers is being formed to review border security recommendations.
Menawhile, the president is also pushing back against criticism of his agreement to reopen the federal government without winning a promise of new funding for a border wall.
With even some conservatives casting the agreement as a retreat by the president, Trump is tweeting that it “was in no way a concession” on his part.
I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2019
Trump reiterated the deal will take care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the shutdown.
